This invention relates to new and useful improvements in baling machines and in particular, bale length controlling devices therefor.
Conventional baling machines for cubical bales, normally include a plunger assembly which gathers and injects wads of hay, straw or the like into the baling chamber thus forming a bale which is gradually ejected through the bale chute. At a predetermined point, the bale is knotted and cut off at a predetermined length.
Normally, a fixed, non-floating gauge wheel is provided with relatively long teeth extending from the periphery thereof. This is because the height of bales varies with the type of material being baled, the moisture content thereof and the like. The long teeth are necessary so that the wheel will always be in contact with the upper surface of the bale, but if a bale is relatively high then the teeth of the wheel, which is fixed to the chute, penetrate a greater distance than if the bale is of a standard height or perhaps of a lesser height. This varies the speed of rotation of the wheel and inasmuch as the number of rotations of the wheel are used to control the cut-off point, it will be apparent that bales of different lengths will be formed.